Contrasts are life. You cannot appreciate one aspect of a thing, without appreciating its opposite. Such is duality. But you can transcend this perspective, as all the great mystics, prophets, and sages have taught.

Then you will see the white birch, with its tender fingers, sitting at nature's keyboard. While the symphony of cold wind keeps you bundled, you can still feel the sun's solo rays beating deep into your soul. Embrace it all, hear the score, see the conductor, become a part of the orchestra, make your own beautiful music, and rejoice.

Monday, January 16, 2006

Do you see it? Theres a perfect spider shadow on the tree. Which is real? The wagon wheel or the spider shadow? They sure both look real to me. You can see and touch the wagon wheel, but you can only see the spider shadow, and only if you are looking at the right angle, and the right time of day. Does that make it less real? I think only less permanent. And by the way, everything in this world is impermant, right?

So the next time you think of yourself as a fixed body and ego, remember your shadow. Just as real. And a reminder that we are all impermanent. So what is real, is real only in the "now". Keep an open mind.

Sunday, January 15, 2006

Right after a blizzard, we had this beautiful sunset. Our woods truly looked like they were on fire! Who says you have to go to Hawaii for beautiful sunsets (right Alli?)

Although this is not a real fire, it did remind me of this story, which I thought was inspirational:

A Chance to Start Over.

It was a cold December night in West Orange, New Jersey. Thomas Edison's factory was humming with activity. Work was proceeding on a variety of fronts as the great inventor was trying to turn more of his dreams into practical realities. Edison's plant, made of concrete and steel, was deemed "fireproof". As you may have already guessed, it wasn't!

On that frigid night in 1914, the sky was lit up by a sensational blaze that had burst through the plant roof. Edison's 24-year-old son, Charles, made a frenzied search for his famous inventor-father. When he finally found him, he was watching the fire. His white hair was blowing in the wind. His face was illuminated by the leaping flames. "My heart ached for him," said Charles. "Here he was, 67 years old, and everything he had worked for was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, 'Charles! Where's your mother?' When I told him I didn't know, he said, 'Find her! Bring her here! She'll never see anything like this as long as she lives.'"

Next morning, Mr. Edison looked at the ruins of his factory and said this of his loss: "There's value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God, we can start anew."

What a wonderful perspective on things that seem at first to be so disastrous. A business failure, divorce, personal dream gone sour . . . whether these things destroy an individual depends largely on the attitude he or she takes toward them. Sort out why it happened, and learn something from the blunders. Think of different approaches that can be taken.

Saturday, January 14, 2006

"Think this about the fleeting world: a star at dawn, a bubble in the stream." -- Buddha

These falls have been here for many, many years, and yet bubbles on the stream come and go in an instant. So is it permanent, or is it fleeting? Think of it this way:

"One man watches a river flow by. If he does not wish it to flow, to change ceaselessly in accord with its nature, he will suffer great pain. Another man understands that the nature of the river is to change constantly, regardless of his likes and dislikes, and therefore he does not suffer. To know existence as this flow, empty of lasting pleasure, void of self, is to find that which is stable and free of suffering, to find true peace in the world."-- Jack Kornfield & Paul Breiter, A Still Forest Pool, the Insight Meditation of Ajahn Chah, Taiwan:1987

Friday, January 13, 2006

Sometimes you have to turn your attention to the "nuts and bolts" of life. My good friend, Dan, along with being a spiritual compatriot, and photographer protege, is accomplished in the financial department (heck, he was able to retire at 43).

So I've taken a break from my spiritual investigations to gain some insights into necessary financial matters. Let me save you some time -- only buy index funds with the lowest possible fees; oh yeah, and rebalance every one or two years, and you are done. The only key decision you need to make is your equity/bond allocation (and suballocations if you so desire) to address your risk tolerance. That's it! I wonder why "they" don't teach us that and save everybody a bunch of heartache and wasted time.

Having gained some of those insights, I do intend to apply them to my retirement portfolio and get this baby running on auto-pilot, with a disciplined review no more frequently than every quarter. Oh yeah, and I've tuned out all financial e-mail, news, magazines, etc. This is only so much noise trying to get you to "beat the market" and help stock brokers (sorry JB) and fund managers extract money from your wallet.

Kids -- take notice, these are pearls, pearls, I tell you! Oh yeah, and for you, save as much as you can as early as you can; and when you enter the corporate world, max out your 401-K contributions, even better if they contribute (free money), as soon as possible. OK, now your lesson is done as well.

You've heard the quiet voice in background (supported by academic study after study)-- no one can beat the market over the long term, so why bother? And the market is not so bad in the long run, especially if you start EARLY. Within a week, I expect to be back full time (well, outside of work) to the spiritual reflections and of course, to my photography. Thanks for your patience.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Can you tell what this is? Oil spilled on some blue paper? A high contrast image of the Red Sea? A wolf baying at the moon? Actually, it’s our dog Frito licking my fingers, which have been digitally removed (that’s a pun). Interesting what you can do with a photo these days.

If anyone wishes to see the real thing (Frito, that is), just click on over to our Frito-a-Day blog, where there’s a new Frito picture every day. (What, doesn’t your dog have a blog yet?)

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

The beauty of the trees,the softness of the air,the fragrance of the grass,speaks to me.The summit of the mountain,the thunder of the sky,the rhythm of the sea,speaks to me.The strength of the fire,the taste of salmon,the trail of the sun,and the life that never goes away,they speak to me.And my heart soars.

Soon you will fall, weary sentinelAnd begin again your life anewFear not, for your keep is safe nowAs new guards make their stand

Or consider this short story when contemplating the photograph:

In his book, Lee: The Last Years, Charles Bracelen Flood reports that after the Civil War, Robert E. Lee visited a Kentucky lady who took him to the remains of a grand old tree in front of her house. There she bitterly cried that its limbs and trunk had been destroyed by Federal Artillery fire. She looked to Lee for a word condemning the North or at least sympathizing with her loss. After a brief silence, Lee said, "Cut it down, my dear Madam, and forget it." It is better to forgive the injustices of the past than to allow them to remain, lest bitterness take root and poison the rest of our life.-- as quoted by Michael Williams, Morganfield, Kentucky. Leadership, Vol. 5, no. 4.

I just wanted to show you what the view from Pack Manadnock looked like yesterday. Absolutely breathtaking in all directions. Yes, one could see very clearly yesterday, and it was all spectacular. These pictures were taken from the fire tower stairs, just below the shelter which was closed for the season.

Looking north (above) you can see Mt. Monadnock in the center. Looking south (below) we could actually see Boston (but you'ld need a magnifying glass on this reduced image). That is about 70 miles away. Unbelievable clarity.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

Sometimes it is hard for the camera to capture the moment. But in this case, I think it did alright. This is an unaltered (except for some cropping) photo. No color enhancement has been applied. Yes, the sky really was cobalt-blue, and this was at high noon today.

It was one of those rare winter days, when the closer we got to the summit, the warmer we got, and the deeper and richer our surroundings became. As we increased in elevation, tree branches went from bare, through lightly dusted, until they were caked with frosting at the top. And the sky went from clear blue, though azure, until it reached a cobalt blue directly above. I cannot remember another day like this.

It was one of those days when I just continue my trek up the mountain with my jaw dragging along the trail. Simply amazing. What an incredible experience.

Friday, January 06, 2006

Before we end the first week of 2006, I'd like to reflect upon an important insight learned in the closing moments of 2005, and see how that might help to chart the course for the new year.

I was having New Year's Eve dinner (and wine and champagne -- too much champagne ;-) at my cousin's cottage on Tucker Pond. He and his wife had invited some good friends of theirs, and we had a wonderful meal, and to me, fascinating conversation.

Surely we were discussing issues of great consequence! Oh what brilliant dialog and insight!

"We must become the change we want to see." -- Mahatma Gandhi

And as I listened to my soft-spoken friends, I realized that as much as they talked about issues, they also took action in support of their beliefs. In short, they "walked the talk". I'm not sure I could say the same, or at least not as much as I would like to.

"Thinking is easy, acting is difficult, and to put one's thoughts into action is the most difficult thing in the world." -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

On and on we talked about issues, late into the morning, and I found myself asking "so what are you going to do about it?" only to realize that through personal action, they were indeed addressing those aspects under their control, and thereby making a difference. It's so easy to be paralyzed by the scope of the challenge, and in the end, do nothing but "talk" about it.

"The world we are experiencing today is the result of our collective consciousness, and if we want a new world, each of us must start taking responsibility for helping create it." -- Rosemary Fillmore Rhea, New Thought for a New Millennium

So what are you going to do about it? First of all, are you going to set your own compass, or will your weathervane swing in which ever way the wind blows? Assuming you intend to take control of your direction, what tangible steps in your own life or in your community, are you going to take that will embody your principles and move us closer, little by little, to that desired state. It is nice to "think great thoughts", but it is even better to take some action in their direction.

"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." -- Lao Tsu

So I will set my course, and begin the journey. And I hope to have even more interesting discussions, buttressed with action, on next New Year's Eve.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." -- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

"What I'm about to tell you is so important, please write it down: Seek insight, not happiness."-- Vernon Howard

Chasing after happiness is like playing football with movable goal posts. Once you think you are there, you are not. You will have to keep on playing the game, hoping to achieve another first down, over and over.

You realize this through insight. And through insight comes acceptance and gratitude, which leads to peace, which brings joy and bliss.

Happiness? Some would say so, but to me that is just part of the happiness/sadness duality which is ultimately what you wish to transcend. Once again, seek insight.

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." -- Lao Tzu (600 BC-531 BC)

Do you see an interesting path worth exploring? Are you so fixed on your arrival that you cannot afford the time? Perhaps you have confused the destination with the journey. We are all ultimately going to the same place.

“I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.” -- Rosalia de Castro (1837-1885)

So by all means, enjoy the journey. Follow those stepping stones, and see what magical places they lead. Just the act of letting the current moment decide what the next step will be, will take you someplace special.

"We shall not cease from explorationAnd the end of all our exploringWill be to arrive where we startedAnd know the place for the first time." --T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), from "Little Gidding"

Monday, January 02, 2006

What do you want in life? Do you want the good or the bad? Of course, "the good" you say. But then how will you really appreciate it? Indeed, how will you even know it is "good"? Do you want powder or ice? Take them both for better appreciation. See how sharp your edges are. Or revel in the powder along the trail edges. Look how you can hone your skills.

The day began rather chilly, with the top of the mountain immersed in clouds. Snow cover was not complete, and some of the trails were closed. Might be a questionable day.

It's been so many years since I last strapped on the boards. It feels good taking advantage of gravity: "cheap and reliable", as Deming once said. What would we face? Crowded slopes and long lines?

How about just a few happy souls, like this young skier, with his protective helmet all dressed up to entertain us. When I asked to take his picture, because I liked his hat, he could not stop laughing afterwards.

What kind of a crazy person just happens to be carrying a camera around the ski slopes anyway?

As the day progressed, the sun broke through the clouds, and soon the view was clear from the top. That's Mt. Washington in the background.

But this too shall pass, as our warmth begins to set over the mountain top. Clouds dance with the tree tops and play hide and seek with the sun.

Blue sky takes hold and we were basking in sunlight as we rode up the chairlifts, with great long shadows as our companions while we skied through the glades.

What a beautiful way to help appreciate nature, and realize it is all "good", even when it sometimes seems "bad". Because you can't have one without the other. So enjoy it all and see the inherent beauty everywhere.

Sunday, January 01, 2006

This is the ping pong table in my basement. It looked like this for about a month. Then finally, after much procrastination and consternation, I got around to filing. What can possibly be the insight (and beauty) from this mass of paper? I need more horizontal filing space? Maybe not. Perhaps the real insight was said by a favorite author of mine:

Don’t think you can get that far out of kilter? Neither did I. I truly believed I had a great system for bill paying and record keeping. So the good that came out of this mess is that I realized I was fooling myself. Like it or not, I was wasting time — no, wasting my life — keeping track of minutiae. What was the final lesson? When I finished organizing all of this paper, I concluded that I could easily throw out 80% of it and would never miss it. Either I already had an electronic copy of the information, or I at least had a record of the transaction, or it really just wasn’t necessary to keep in the first place.

And from that insight, I have now come up with a different “filing system”. Basically two piles: one to keep for one year, and then throw away, and the other to be filed because it must be saved for an extended period. I expect the same 80/20 rule to apply as to the size of each pile. And as one of my resolutions this year, I resolve to come up with other ways of looking at situations that cause me to “waste time” on unnecessary detail, and instead, to simplify, simplify.